1. PURPOSE: This Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directive establishes policy for the implementation of an education and certification program for clinicians who perform compensation and pension (C&P) examinations.

2. BACKGROUND

a. VHA performs over 700,000 C&P examinations yearly. As part of the ongoing quality assurance program operated by the office of Compensation and Pension Examination Program (CPEP), and from reports issued by the office of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General, it has been concluded that there is observed variation in the performance and quality of C&P examination reports between Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs).

b. As health care providers traditionally approach examinations in the purely clinical domain, training is critical to ensure that they have an understanding of the legal ramifications of the examinations, and what elements are required by the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) in order to make a valid determination. Given the importance of a thorough examination to the veteran in terms of eligibility for future benefits and compensation, it is critical that standards are consistently enforced and applied fairly across all VISNs. As a result, VHA and VBA have determined the need for a training and certification program established for all clinicians performing C&P examinations, no matter where they are performed. These courses are available on VA Learning Management System (LMS) http://www.lms.va.gov to meet the requirements identified below (search for keyword "CPEP").

c. After completion of the certification process, employees who have demonstrated increased performance in the efficiency of claims processing, customer satisfaction, and improved quality of examinations being performed may be acknowledged. In recognition of this increased performance, VHA physicians and other clinicians who are "certified C&P examiners" on a prorated basis may receive a one-time incentive award up to $1,000 from their local health facility.

NOTE: Any VHA clinician may take the certification training and receive continuing medical education (CME) for course completion, but only clinicians designated to perform C&P examinations are eligible to receive the cash award. Residents and interns assisting with C&P examinations, as part of their graduate training curriculum under the supervision of a VHA certified C&P examiner, are encouraged to complete the training modules that are appropriate to their courses of training, but are not eligible for the cash awards.